Springbok Women bank on training intensity to bridge game-time gap against USA Eagles

South Africa’s Springbok Women enter their two-Test series against the USA Women’s Eagles at a disadvantage in match sharpness, with assistant coach Franzel September acknowledging the Americans have had significantly more competitive game time in 2026.

Head coach Swys de Bruin’s squad successfully defended their Rugby Africa Women’s Cup title in Kenya earlier this year, but that campaign featured only nine players from last autumn’s Women’s Rugby World Cup squad. For the USA series, De Bruin has recalled 22 of those World Cup players — a significant step up in selection — as South Africa prepare to face a USA side that has already tested itself against Canada, New Zealand and Australia in the Pacific Four Series.

“They played at a high level and we did not, but having said that, we tried to push the intensity at our training sessions in recent weeks to emulate that of what one can expect in test matches,” September said. “It is not quite the same, but we will be ready for them, should they want to engage in a fast and flowing match.”

September also highlighted the challenge of integrating players arriving from different environments. “Most of our players were exposed to the Pick n Pay Women’s Super League, some played overseas and a handful just returned from sevens, and something we needed to do was to get everyone on the same page and intensity — and I think it went well this far.”

The Springboks will be without seven players who were key figures in their run to the Women’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final last year: Nadine Roos, Sinazo Mcatshulwa, Lindelwa Gwala, Aseza Hele, Donelle Snyders, Naima Hlatshwayo and Chumisa Qawe are all unavailable for the back-to-back Tests.

Their absence opens the door for players such as 22-year-old Byrhandré Dolf, who has spent the recent period competing on the HSBC SVNS circuit with Cecil Afrika’s South Africa Women’s Sevens squad. Dolf believes the shortened format has sharpened qualities that will transfer directly to the fifteen-a-side game.

“One thing I am most happy about from recently playing sevens again was the habit and need of creating and finding space,” Dolf said. “I felt my footwork and acceleration benefitted from that. Coming back to fifteens now, the space is obviously much less, but I am happy that I added some stepping and elusiveness to my game because of the sevens. So, I am ready to use that to my advantage when I play in a test match again.”